posted Mar 18th, 2009 - The NSL News mentioned in yesterday's story that France Maubeuge and Sinapsi PD had scheduled a mini meet for Wednesday to test the teams' current performance level in the runup to the FSL Shamrock Showdown 2009. It turned out to be a 6-round competition between the two world-class teams.

Sinapsi PD had just picked up the outdoor training and was naturally behind the already well trained French 4-way team. The NSL News visit at Skydive DeLand came after Round 4, and Sinapsi had already completed Round 5. France Maubeuge was eight points ahead after the first four rounds.

Fabrice Rieu, the team's new videographer, later dubbed two of the six mini meet jumps for the NSL News. Today's videos of Rounds 2 and 3 can now be reviewed on NSL-TV.

The NSL News used the opportunity of the quick visit to capture some footage of the very busy dropzone. Most of the teams that will compete at the Shamrock Showdown are already in full training swing. The video clip of the NSL-TV tour on competition site can be viewed by clicking here.

The NSL-TV camera caught the Russian team Cross Road during exit training at the mockup. The packing and team hangar accommodated several activities. Local packers and guest packers, as French veteran Fred "Toshiba" Leroux, shared the work space with each other.

NRG from the Netherlands was dirtdiving inside, and Voluntas from Denmark was on the creepers at the same time. Solly "Schleifer" Williams was working with both teams and still had enough time to bring a funny story to the attention of the NSL News.

This story involved the Aerokart Deep Blue members who had a special experience with a dishwasher, which resulted in an emergency situation in the jump plane later the same day. The NSL-TV video catches some of the details but misses the complete story. However, it must have been a funny experience, as Sophie Deremaux once again smiled a lot while telling the story. Solly Williams added a few funny remarks, as well.

Sinapsi PD was in the middle of the mini meet and watched their own video and Marin Ferre's judging of Round 3 in another corner of the team facility. The French 4-way coach briefly summarized and explained the current situation between the two teams for the NSL News.

The new Spaceland Force lineup was in the middle of outdoor training in DeLand. The video of the creeping session for the next two training jumps also shows the team's videographer getting ready. Eric Boyd, son of Skydive Spaceland's owner Steve Boyd and new Texas Skydiving League Director, is filming his home team this year. The NSL-TV audience will soon have the opportunity to watch his competition videos.

The NSL-TV camera followed Spaceland Force to the boarding area where Shannon Pilcher, Ian Bobo and Thomas Hughes climbed into the same Twinotter that has lifted them to jump altitude many times with DeLand Fire, DeLand Groove and the PD Factory Team. Their new home plane for the Space Force flies in Texas, where Skydive Spaceland will host the USPA Nationals this year.

Then the NSL-TV camera joined the France Maubeuge members at their lunch break before the final story of Solly's dishwasher and the jump plane incident is being presented by the French female lineup.

Training and preparations for the Shamrock Showdown will continue tomorrow, and there is a good chance that the NSL-TV camera will be turned on once again here and there.